Google defies China, stops web censorship

Beijing/Washington: Uncertainty loomed over China operations of the world’s leading internet search engine Google as the company stopped censoring web search results and redirected hunt queries from mainland to an uncensored site in Hong Kong.

The move, which came after months of war of words between the company and Beijing, raised the hackles in China with authorities reacting sharply to the decision and calling the move “totally wrong” and accusing Google. Inc of violating promises.

“This is totally wrong. We’re uncompromisingly opposed to the politicisation of commercial issues, and express our discontent and indignation to Google for its unreasonable accusations and conducts,” official Xinhua news agency quoted an official of the state internet bureau as saying.

His comments came about two hours after the online search service provider announced it has stopped censoring its Chinese-language search engine Google.cn and is redirecting Chinese mainland users to a site in Hong Kong, a former British colony, now a special administrative region of China.